The post below isn’t mine, it was posted by a friend on Facebook so I take no credit for the text but I wanted to share it as I felt that what Stephen had to say is spot on..

I teach photography and I can help guide a client to produce work suitable for them if they are asking for creative inspiration. Creative inspiration comes from within each and every photographer and when photographers look for inspiration – it can come from the most obscure places. It’s important to develop a style, an attitude and a character all of your own IF you want to be taken seriously as a creative. End of. Copying someone else’s work is like dropping a golf ball down your trousers and pretending you found your ball, or running a marathon and catching a bus for most of the journey and claiming you came 20th out of 20000.

I have a huge respect for those who fight for creativity, who develop their style over time, who get it wrong, who discover who they are through their photography, who learn about themselves by creating FOR themselves. It’s not a crime to be inspired. It’s necessary. I am inspired by other creatives all the time from all kinds of media. A direct copy will always be second rate … it’s not the original. Ever thought you can sing Bohemian Rhapsody? No one can do it like Freddy.

So, for 2016 – if you have a camera, pick it up, walk about, take a picture of something that you like the look of…get the passion for the art. Use a camera, or a phone….but a camera will make you FEEL more creative. Really look around. You will take a picture that is unique to you. No one else will have taken that particular shot you will take. Just don’t forget the most important thing you will ever learn about taking pictures – it’s all about the light. There are many other aspects that make a picture interesting but without light, it’s just noise.

http://www.richardolpinphotography.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Gallery-Jezebelle-638.jpg600900Richard Olpinhttp://www.richardolpinphotography.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/website-script.pngRichard Olpin2015-11-03 22:37:472015-11-03 22:40:11If you go down to the woods today...

Not only was this photo I took of Scarlett one of my favourite photos so far this year, this was the #1 most loved image on PurplePort yesterday. That’s the second time in the past couple of weeks I’ve been #1 – I’m pretty happy about that!

A bit of perspective for those of you who don’t frequent the model networking sites, PurplePort is the most popular modelling site in the UK now, with around 25,000 active members, upwards of 2500 images added per day, nearly 2 million images online, with 20,000+ images ‘loved’ each day it’s a big thing to even get on the ‘popular’ list, let alone #1.

I’m not going to lie, to do that twice in a week feels pretty flipping awesome..